Program aims to enhance lives of single Soldiers

Photo By Molly Cooke | Newly elected Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers president, Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Wise, addresses members of the BOSS program during a bi-monthly BOSS meeting held at Club Stewart, March 2 on Fort Stewart. The BOSS program serves as the voice for the single Soldier on Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield and aims to enhance the morale and welfare of single Soldiers through various events and volunteer opportunities. (Photo by Molly Cooke)  

GA, UNITED STATES

03.02.2021

Story by Molly Cooke  

Fort Stewart Public Affairs Office

The Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers program welcomed a new president to their ranks March 2 at Club Stewart during its bi-monthly BOSS meeting. The meeting served as an opportunity to introduce the new president to the team and also as an informational session to inform program members of upcoming morale-boosting events and volunteer opportunities available to single Soldiers across the installation.

BOSS is an Army-wide program that is currently operating across 74 Army garrisons around the world. The program, ran by Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, serves to enhance the morale and welfare of single Soldiers through the three core components of quality of life, recreation and leisure, and community service. By offering programming centered on these components, the BOSS program aims to maintain retention and readiness by offering the single Soldier an outlet to learn and grow as individuals and leaders.

“The BOSS program is the only voice of the single Soldier on the installation,” said Cara Bates, who serves as the Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation civilian BOSS advisor for Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield. “It’s the only place where you can go agnostic of your rank and position description. This is where the single Soldier can go to have their voice heard.”

Bates also stated that the BOSS program is the fighting force to ensure that single Soldiers’ needs are met on the installation.

“We provide an aspect that is outside a Soldier’s chain of command and we are lucky to have some extra tools in our pocket with the support of the garrison command sergeant major,” Bates said. “We are here to ensure that the installation works well for our single Soldiers and that their time here on Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield is worthwhile.”

Newly elected BOSS president, Staff Sgt. Elizabeth Wise, has a passion for BOSS and has participated in the program at seven different duty stations. Prior to being elected as president, she served as the battalion BOSS rep for the 3rd Sustainment Brigade on Fort Stewart.

“I think it’s important for the single Soldiers on Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield to know that we care about them,” Wise said. “The BOSS program is the perfect opportunity for us to enhance single Soldiers’ quality of life. We are here to help prepare them for a life out on their own by offering them the chance to grow and learn within the program.”

While the program serves to enhance the lives of the single Soldiers across Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield, the program offers benefits that span beyond the welfare of the single Soldier.

“BOSS benefits the entire installation because when we enhance the mental health and readiness of our Soldiers we are also enhancing their commanders’ opportunities as well,” Wise said. “If their Soldiers are treated well and motivated they will fight and work harder in the long run. It’s truly a win-win for everyone involved.”

BOSS meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 4 p.m. at Club Stewart on Fort Stewart. All single Soldiers are welcome and encouraged to attend.

• Date Taken: 03.02.2021
• Date Posted: 03.04.2021 10:05
• Story ID: 390550
• Location: GA, US